The present disclosure relates to a sheet feeding device including a manual bypass tray and an image forming apparatus including this sheet feeding device.
An image forming apparatus, such as a printer or a multifunction peripheral, includes a sheet feeding device including a manual bypass tray. The sheet feeding device is configured so as to feed a sheet stacked on the manual bypass tray for image forming process.
For example, in the image forming apparatus, an inversion unit may be configured to include the manual bypass tray and to be detachably attached to an apparatus body. The manual bypass tray includes a sensor sensing whether or not the sheet is stacked, and then, on the basis of this sensed result, an inversion function of the inversion unit is controlled. The manual bypass tray is concurrently used as a cover for jam treatment to be openable and closable.
The sheet feeding device including the manual bypass tray is configured so that the manual bypass tray is arranged turnable with respect to a storage recessed part provided in a front cover or the like of an apparatus body. A turning axis direction of the manual bypass tray is a width direction of the sheet (a sheet width direction) on the manual bypass tray. The manual bypass tray has positioning bosses as turning axes at both ends in the sheet width direction and the positioning bosses determine a feeding position of the sheet from the manual bypass tray. The storage recessed part has positioning holes at both ends in the sheet width direction and the positioning bosses are attached to the positioning holes. If the manual bypass tray is not used, the manual bypass tray is turned and stored in the storage recessed part.
The storage recessed part includes locking parts, such as snap-fits, at left and right internal lateral faces and the manual bypass tray includes locked holes locked by the snap-fits at left and right lateral faces. By locking the snap-fits with respect to the locked holes, the manual bypass tray is fixed in a state stored in the storage recessed part. Although the locking part, such as the snap-fit, is locked to the locked hole by utilizing elastic deformation, if the locking part receives load, such as deep insertion into the locked hole, while temperature variation of installation environment of the printer is repeated, the locking part may be immoderately deformed. The snap-fit may be left deforming without being restored to its original shape, depending on the circumstances, opening and closing of the manual bypass tray may become impossible.
Thereupon, in order to assist locking and restoring of the shape using elastic force of the snap-fit and to make locking performance of the snap-fit excellent, a plate spring may be provided. However, the plate spring may be easily come off the snap-fit. If the snap-fit is provided with a hole or the like in order to fix the plate spring, strength of the snap-fit may be degraded, and then, locking performance of the snap-fit may be degraded.